Chapter 4 - Alternative Access Flashcards
Selection set
the visual, auditory, or tactile presentation of all messages, symbols, and codes that are available at one time to a person who relies on AAC
- most systems visual displays of items in the selection set
- may be displayed auditorily (spoken words or messages) or tactually (real, partial objects, textures, shapes, raised dots)
How are items in selection set determined?
A number of ways
- keyboards: manufacturer assigns symbols to locations
- many systesm: symbols and codes may be preprogrammed by device or application developer, selected on individual basis,
Types of select set display
- Fixed displays
- Dynamic displays
- Hybrid displays
- Visual Scene displays
Fixed displays
Any display in which the symbols and items are fixed in a particular location
- Typically low-tech communication boards, some digitized SGD
Number of symbols that a fixed display can include is …
limited and depends on a person’s visual, tactile, cognitive, and motor capabilities.
Fixed display limitations
- Protability
- Inefficiency
Levels
organization of symbol set into pages
Dynamic displays
Computer screen displays with electronically produced visual symbols that, when activated, automatically change the selection set on the screen to a new set of programmed symbols
Hybrid Displays
Electronic fixed displays with a dynamic component, such as indicator lights that inform the individual which items in the selection set are available for activation. When one activates the first icon in a sequence, indicators on the display screen light up next to each icon that could be chosen next.
- Designed as a memory aid
- Also displays containing the letters of the alphabet plus word prediction features – letters are fixed, content of word prediction buttons changes with each keystroke
Visual Scene Displays
Picture, photograph, or virtual environment that depicts and represents a situation, a place, or an experience.
- Individual elements (people, actions, objects) appear within the visual scene and messages are accessed from picture
- Usually employ dynamic displays
-displays selection set within a coherent, integrated visual image
Physical characteristics of selection set displays - Number of items
Most important factor
- symbols (other than letters or codes): selection set size increases with the number of messages in one-to-one correspondence
- Encoding strategies may decrease number of items in selection set
Physical characteristics of selection set displays - Size
- Actual size of the symbols or messages on the display determined by visual capabilities, motor access techniques, type of symbol, number of items to display
- Overall size of visual display: compromise among number of items, size of individual items, spacing of items, mounting and portability factors, physical capabilities of the person
- auditory displays: size of display determined by memory and ability to retain organizational scheme of display
- tactile displays: size of set depends on tactile recognition capabilities
Physical characteristics of selection set displays - Spacing and Arrangement of Items
- Determined largely by visual and motor control capabilities of the individual
- Some people are better able to discriminate among items on display if items are widely separated, surrounded by empty area, if surrounding area is coloured,
- field cuts, blind spots may require irregular spacing arrangements to match visual capabilities
- motor control profile: may have better control of one hand; frequently used items may be displayed to be most accessible to hand with better motor control and with smaller symbols/spacing
Physical characteristics of selection set displays - Spacing and Arrangement of Items - Curved array
- Designed to accommodate the motor control capabilities of a person using a headstick
- Minimizes forward and backward movements of the head and neck
Physical characteristics of selection set displays - Orientation of the display
Refers to the position of the display relative to the floor
- Dependent on person’s postural, visual, and motor control capabilities
- Visual and motor capabilities most critical in direct selection display
- Visual and postural factors most critical in scanning selection
- Horizontal floor: provides arm and hand support, stabilization (helpful for weakness, tremor, extraneous movements)
- Requires upright posture
- 30-45 degree angle to floor: compromise for people with physical disabilities; allows to see display while avoiding neck flexion and still providing some hand and arm support for stability
- 45-90 degrees: typically used in combination with light or optical pointers
- care must be taken to not reduce vision
- 90 degree: head or eye tracking strategies
Selection techniques
The way an individual who relies on AAC system selects or identifies items from the selection set.
Selection techniques: Two principal approaches
Direct selection
Scanning
Direct Selection
Person indicates desired item from selection set.
e.g. typing, speech, gestures, manual signing
Direct Selection - Options
Physical contact
Physical pressure or depression
Pointing (no contact)
Speech recognition
Direct Selection - Physical contact
- Items are identified from selection set by touching them
Used with many nonelectronic AAC options and mobile technology/tablet computers
Direct Selection - Physical Pressure/Depression
Activation by depressing a key or pressure-sensitive surface
e. g. standard keyboard, touchpad,
- Pressure typically generated by body part, such as finger, or a body extension (e.g. headstick)
- movement must be sufficiently controllable so only a single item is activated
-pressure thresholds can be adjusted to enhance accurate activation
Direct Selection - Pointing
- No contact
- Eye pointing, tracking, gazing – one looks at item long enough for communication partner to identify direction of gaze and confirm selected item.
- Often used by young children who have not yet learned other communication techniques, and those with poor positioning, chronic fatigue, or ongoing medical conditions preventing physically demanding options
e. g. Goossens - Pointing without contact, e.g. optical or light-generating (laser-generating) technology mounted on the head
- Technology monitors position of light beam or optical sensor and selects an item if the beam or sensor remains in specific location for a period of time; may also use sonar or infrared technology (head tracker)